ICC Workforce Initiative, $18.7 Million to Workforce
By Deveraux Davis, 9/25/19 (Header image courtesy of ICC)
Illinois Central College is taking charge of a grant for $18.7 million. Out of the $18.7 million, ICC will receive $1.85 million, to enhance their workforce programs. ICC is one of 15 community colleges that will receive part of this money.
The workforce programs that will benefit from this grant are CNC Operators, Welders, CDL Truck Drivers, LAN Technicians, CISCO, Licensed Practical Nurses etc…
Curtis Rippey who is a Welding Instructor at ICC believes that this grant is going to benefit ICC students. Rippey has been working in the Welding Department for 31 years.
“I think this is going to benefit ICC, the workforce and the students. Because a lot of the workforce is looking for welders and this program will help fill that niche, in a short amount of time.” Rippy said.
Rippey believes that welding is very important to the workforce, especially for the area that ICC is located in.
“Welding is important because there’s a lot of manufacturing in the Peoria area such as Caterpillar and Komatsu,” Rippey said.
Dr. Ralph Murphy who is apart of the Business Faculty at ICC also believes that the $18.7 million grant is a great idea.
“I think it’s great, from a business standpoint for ICC, it’s going to increase enrollment,” Murphy said. Murphy was also elated when he found out about the grant to improve workforce programs.
“I was elated when I found out. Because it’s already connected to ICC’s goal, which is for students to achieve their dreams.” Murphy said.
In addition to his elation, Murphy believes that this initiative is key to help students get real-world experience.
“This Initiative is key because it helps students get a credential that will allow them to work for a higher wage and real-world experience. They can also come back for more learning.” Murphy said.
Sarah Sutton, 9/26/19
Illinois Central College is to receive $1.85 million dollars out of the $18.7 million dollar grant given to ICC and 14 other Illinois community colleges for a Workforce Equity Initiative. In partnership with Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and Deputy Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth, Illinois Central College announces their partnership with this statewide initiative grant. The goal for the ICC Workforce Equity Initiative is to provide living wages and certificates to adults living in areas highly impacted by high crime and low employment rates.
The Initiative wants to ensure that African Americans and other impacted minorities make up at least 60 percent of those who the grant will serve, giving them more opportunities for profitable careers. Other concerns brought up in the press release for the Initiative included racial workforce gaps and employment barriers, something the grant hopes to lower by securing these students with full-time jobs paying at least 30 percent above a living wage.
Curt Rippey, the ICC Welding Instructor at East Campus, has a positive outlook on this Initiative. When asked when he had first heard about the plan for the grant, he joked about reading the official news in the local newspaper that morning. “We had an open house over the summer to introduce students to the Agricultural and Industrial Tech building, what it had to offer; over 200 students showed up. I think this Initiative will help students understand what we have to offer here and help them get jobs in markets that are in need of employing people.”
Curt emphasized that the different certificates and training programs are for anyone interested in them and have few, if any, limitations to what that student could accomplish. “Our welding program, for example, is really diverse in age and what our students have experienced. Our youngest student is sixteen, our oldest is roughly sixty. We truly have plenty of opportunities here.” he concluded. Welding is just one of the many programs available in the program, including CNC Operator, CDL Truck Driver, Local Area Network Technician, CISCO Certified Network Administrator, CompTIA A+, Licensed Practical Nurse, Emergency Medical Technician, and Paramedic.
An Agricultural and Industrial Tech student was asked if they had heard about the Initiative. The student interviewed was excited to learn about what the Initiative has to offer, stating, “I plan on becoming a CNC Machine Operator, that is what I am being trained to do. I was undeclared for awhile and didn’t know what I wanted to study for, but after hearing that I could make a living wage I know what my goal is now.” Although the student wishes to remain anonymous, their outlook truly encapsulates the energy and goal of the Workforce Equity Initiative.
When asked about the Initiative, Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey, the President of ICC, had pleasant and hopeful things to say: “This Initiative allows ICC the opportunity to remove barriers for the underserved and disadvantaged. It allows us to meet students where they are, and get them where they need to be. When adults earn credentials with labor market value, it not only
changes the trajectory of their lives but also the lives of their families; while growing the workforce, expanding businesses and creating a more vibrant regional economy.”
Illinois community colleges serve over 600,000 residents each year in credit, non-credit, and continuing educations courses. With plenty of students furthering their education at a choice of 48 colleges and 39 community college districts, it is easy to see that this grant will help serve so many disadvantaged students. Hopefully, this will flip the script and ensure a community in which all types of people can enter hardworking careers with a rich payoff.
Any student interested in this Initiative is welcome to attend an informational session at ICC’s East Campus on October 23, 2019, in the Student Center Room (S220). Session times include 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM, and 5:30 PM. If you are a student who is undecided in their academic trajectory, this Initiative can not only guarantee you a degree or certificate but locate you into a full-time job outside of school. Continue your education and your career by becoming apart of the Workforce Equity Initiative.